June 29, 2003	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 28,1424

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ISLAMABAD, June 28: Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat on Saturday said the family of Shahbaz Sharif was being sent back to Saudi Arabia because they had “overstayed” in Pakistan.

“The family of Shahbaz Sharif came to Pakistan to attend a family marriage but four months have passed and no such ceremony is taking place,” the minister said.

Talking to reporters at the Parliament House, he explained that Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and their entire family had gone abroad for 10 years under a deal.

He said Shahbaz Sharif’s family had already been allowed twice to extend their stay on humanitarian grounds — first for two weeks and then for four weeks — but still they were not leaving the country.

Referring to the late prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, he said his leader was also offered a similar deal but he preferred to die for the country instead of leaving it.

Earlier, the issue was raised in the House by PML-N MNA Khawaja Asif on a point of order. He narrated the alleged ordeal of Shahbaz Sharif’s family at the hands of the government.

PML-N parliamentary leader Javed Hashmi deplored that Shahbaz Sharif’s family, which was not involved in any crime, was being harassed. He alleged that the house where Shahbaz’s wife was living had been cordoned off by the police and even the water supply to the place had been disconnected.

He said the entire episode was in the knowledge of the prime minister who even issued instructions to stop that but his directions, he alleged, were not being honoured. He asked the prime minister to establish his writ.